


Death of a Dream

by unholystagepresence



Category: Mass Effect, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Canonical Character Death, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-07
Updated: 2017-04-07
Packaged: 2018-10-15 22:58:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10559116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unholystagepresence/pseuds/unholystagepresence
Summary: -SPOILERS- Jaal had dreams for his life with Ryder, and it's hard to let them go.





	

Jaal didn't worry about Ryder on their missions.  
  
Well, that wasn't strictly true. He did, of course, worry for her safety. Any lover would worry for their partner. But he also knew how capable she was in the field, able to hold her own. Plus, she had SAM. His worry would likely hinder her rather than help her in battle, so he dealt with his worry otherwise and simply focused on the task at hand.  
  
Now, though, he worried.  
  
She was in pain, he could tell, having learned to read the human facial expressions rather quickly since joining the Tempest crew...and especially Sara's.  
  
Then she began to stumble, like every step took much more effort than the last.  
  
“Get to the Tempest!” she shouted, and even her voice was strained. He tried to put aside his worry, because they obviously had to get back quickly, but there was no point in it...the door closed, and Ryder collapsed as he reached for her.  
  
“Ryder? Ryder! Sara!” He shook her, suddenly realizing he had no idea what to do to check if she was alright. He should have asked Dr. Lexi for more information on first aid when he'd had the chance.  
  
“Move!” Drack quickly pushed him aside and began going through the routine, his tough fingers on her neck, then her wrist, and then he was (as gently as he could) starting chest compressions. “Shit, Ryder...SAM! Get her heart started again!”  
  
There was no response from the AI...but Drack continued.  
  
And Jaal, for that few moments, experienced terror. It wasn't like when she'd died the first time (or...the second time, according to Ryder). He had been interested in her then, had some affection, sure, but he hadn't...loved her then. Not as deeply as he did now. Plus, SAM had been there, and it had been planned, not like this.  
  
Future dreams collapsed before his eyes as Ryder didn't respond to Drack's attempts to revive her. Dreams of adventure by her side. Of her joining him for family get-togethers, where she'd already been more than welcomed, enfolded in the affection and warmth of a family when she only had one sibling left to her. Of a house on Haavarl (or some other lovely planet), getting to watch the sunset by her side.  
  
“...She's dead. We need to find a way out.” He noticed the way Drack's voice cracked, and it broke him out of his stupor, and he pushed it aside, for now, to be dealt with when he could deal with it, because he was too close to tears of grief for the loss of this human, this woman that had so enchanted him despite never imagining that he'd ever find his soulmate in an alien. But for now, they needed to get out, as Drack had said. He got on his omnitool, calling for SAM, the Tempest, anyone, and getting no response, as Drack slammed against the door.  
  
And then, not three minutes since she'd collapsed, Ryder sat up with a desperate gasp of air and dragged herself up to the Remnant console, clinging desperately.  
  
And then proclaiming that they needed to get out.  
  
There would need to be a lot of unpacking of emotions after this, and perhaps some admonishments her way when all this was over, because the sense of relief he felt to see her -alive-, and just forging right ahead...that was what nearly broke him this time.

 


End file.
